Faithfully Reboot
by katiebouvier
Summary: What happens after "The Break-Up"? I brought up this idea to Courtney while we were freaking out, which is often. And she really wanted a fic of it, so I obliged. I hope you guys like it!


"So, how's Blaine?" Rachel asked as she dealt their cards.

"He's okay. We're okay. We argued when he was here but I've realized that I don't listen to him as much as he listens to me, and I'm working on that." He paused as he collected his cards together. "We're trying to start over from when I first left."

"That's great, Kurt. I'm happy things are working out for the both of you."

"So am I." He said as he collected his winning War hand, "have you heard from Finn at all?"

"Not since he left for Lima the other day, no." They put out their next round of cards.

"War!"

"So, you're just going to act like his coming back has no effect on you?" Kurt looked at her while he collected his winning hand.

"Kurt, I waited for him, and I just. I couldn't stand not seeing him everyday, not talking to him. So I moved on. And I actually have a date with Brody tonight."

"Really." Kurt was skeptical as he collected his next winning hand.

She nodded, "yes, Kurt. I like him."

Kurt put down his cards and looked at her. "Rachel. You were minutes away from marrying my brother. Twice. I know you, you don't want Brody and I don't even think you _like_ him like that," he shook his head, "you're just scared. Like you said before, you can't stand not seeing him or talking to him all the time. But that was when he was in the army, Rachel! He came back now, and for _you_. You're pushing away the best thing that's ever happened to you, Rachel, just because you're scared and you know it."

Rachel frowned, "That's not true, Kurt. Why can't you accept the fact that I like Brody? You seemed excited for me when he brought me an orchid."

"That was when I thought Finn wasn't coming back!" He sighed, "Finn came back for you, Rachel. He loves you and you love him. You deserve to be happy, and Finn makes you happy. You can't throw that away."

"Kurt," she groaned. There was a knock at the door and they both turned to look at it. "That must be Brody. Kurt, I understand where you're coming from, but I _do_ like him. Please be nice." She said as she walked to the door.

"Fine, I won't bite." She smiled and thanked him while she fixed herself in the mirror. She opened the door smiling, expecting to see Brody but, instead, saw Finn.

"Finn?" He gave his cute, side smile.

"Finn?!" Kurt ran over to see the door and grinned, looking at Rachel.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, "I-I thought you went back to Ohio? I thought you were working for Burt again? Finn, I told you, I-"

"Rachel," he gave her a bigger smile, "Just let me do this, and I promise that after I do, you'll never have to see me again if that's what you want."

She nodded, and he continued, "I love you. So much. And even after all this, I still want to be with you for the rest of my life. But if you no longer want that, all you have to do is let me know, and I'll be gone. And I know that if I keep talking I'll probably say something stupid and screw this whole thing up. I always told you that I sing my feelings _way_ better than I speak them, so, yeah." He fumbled around his pockets and took out his iPod. "I, uh, downloaded the karaoke version."

He pressed play and when the opening chords started, Kurt's hand slapped over his mouth and Rachel's eyes immediately started to tear, her mouth dropping slightly.

_Highway run _  
_Into the midnight sun _  
_Wheels go round and round _  
_You're on my mind_

_Restless hearts _  
_Sleep alone tonight _  
_Sending all my love along the wire _  
_They say that the road _  
_Ain't no place to start a family _  
_Right down the line it's been you and me _  
_And loving a music man _  
_Ain't always what it's supposed to be _  
_Oh Girl _  
_You stand by me _  
_I'm forever yours _  
_Faithfully _  
_[ Lyrics from: j/journey/faithfully_ ] _  
_Circus life _  
_Under the big top world _  
_We all need the clowns to make us smile_

_Through space and time _  
_Always another show _  
_Wondering where I am lost without you _  
_And being apart ain't easy on this love affair _  
_Two strangers learn to fall in love again _  
_I get the joy of rediscovering you _  
_Oh girl _  
_You stand by me _  
_I'm forever yours _  
_Faithfully_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh _  
_Oh oh oh oh oh oh _  
_Faithfully _  
_I'm still yours _  
_I'm forever yours _  
_Ever yours _  
_Faithfully_

Rachel looked at him in shock while Kurt was slowly clapping in the background. Finn smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek and whispering an "I love you" in her ear before closing the door and walking away. That was the most beautiful rendition of the song she'd ever heard. Close to their duet. He didn't sing the original, he sang a more slow, acoustic version of it and it really showed how he true and genuine Finn is.

Rachel turned around to look at Kurt, tears flowing down her cheeks. "So, tell me again, are you really going to throw that away?" he looked at her knowingly.

"I-I need to go," she whispered.

Kurt smirked, "What should I tell Brody if he shows?" he asked as Rachel ran out the door.

"Tell him I'm sorry!" she yelled back. She ran down the stairs as fast as she could, not trusting the elevator to get her to the entrance of the building fast enough. When she got to the ground floor, she ran out the door looking down the street when she saw him.

"Finn!" she yelled as she ran down the block, "Finn!"

He turned around and saw her approaching him, "Rachel? I-"

"I'm sorry!" she stopped and tried to catch her breath. "I'm so, so, sorry. It's you. It's always been you and it always will be you. I was confused." she was crying now, and Finn visibly swallowed. "I didn't know when you were coming back, if you ever were, and I didn't know what to do. I was so _lost_, Finn! Without you in my life, I didn't know what to do with myself and that scared me. I tried to move on, I thought that was the right choice but I was wrong. I didn't realize that until it was too late and I'm so, so, sorry."

He looked at her with hope in his eyes and she smiled through her tears, "And I do. I do want to be with you for the rest of my life. I love you so much. I-"

She was cut off by Finn pulling her into him, giving her the most mind-blowing makeup kiss he'd ever given her.

He pulled away slowly, smiling, "You don't need to apologize. I love you." He murmured against her lips.

She smiled and took his hand leading him back to the apartment. "Let's go, I need to go call Brody."

Finn stopped, "What? Why?"

"To tell him I'm forever off limits, of course." she laughed, pulling him into the building.

He smiled, "You think we can kick Kurt out for a while, too?"

Rachel stopped to give Finn a slow kiss on the lips, "Oh yeah."


End file.
